Apparatus for manufacturing gas



(No Model.)

J. E. MENDENHALL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

l r fl m m m a w b w. 2 HM M m 7 N w UNITED STATES JAMES E. MENDENHALL,

PATENT- QFFICE.

OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,966, dated October 15, 1889.

Application filed April 25, 1889. Serial No. 303,531- (No modeL) a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Manu- -facturing Gas, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of hydrogen gas; and it consists of certain organizations, combinations, and structural features, hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like referencedetters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a partial vertical scctional view and partial side view of my improved apparatus and the general plant; and Fig. 2, an end View of the retort and carbureting-tank, showing the arrangement of the gas-pipe running from one to the other.

The letter A designates a furnace of any approved type, preferably constructed of brick, and having grate bars l3 and the usual front 0 and a Smokestack D. A series of pipes E traverse the length of the firebox properin such position as to become intensely heated by the fire upon the grate-bars B. These pipes connect with a steam-generator F at one end and discharge at the other through a perforated nozzle G into a retort. The steam in passing through the several pipes E becomes first superheated and then decomposed more or less, according to the degree of heat to which. the pipes E are subjected.

The letter ll designates a metallic retort located within the brick-workI and supported above the fire-box proper. This retort is filled with brick or coke J or other refractory material, which absorbs the heat from the retort and becomes red=l1ot for the purpose of maintaining the decomposed state of the steam and perfecting and insuring a decomposition of the steam in case it is not thoroughly decomposed by the heat of the pipes E. The

hydrogen and oxygen resulting from the decomposition of the steam is mixed and commingled with the carbureted air while yet within the retort H and in contact with the incandescent refractory material. This car bureted air is supplied through the instrumentalities hereinafter to be described, but immediately by the hydrocarbontank K, mounted above the retort H upon the piers L.

The tank is divided transversely by a partition M, so as to afford an air-carbureting compartment and a gas-carburcting compartment. Oil is supplied to the former compart ment and'maintained in the latter compart ment by flowing through the small perfora= tions in the partition M. The object of the perforated partition is to supply oil to the gas-carb ureting compartment and at the same time prevent any appreciable amount of the gas being carbureted from entering the air= carbureting compartment. A pipe 0 connects the retort H with the air-space of the tank K, and the air introduced through the pipe P in the manner hereinafter to appear, after entering the body of oil, passes through the pipe 0 into the retort H in a carbureted cond'ition. It mixes with the oxygen and hydro* gen in the retort II in the manner hereinbefore described. The gas thus constituted passes through the pipes Qinto the oil in the gas carbureting compartment of the tank K, and is thus carbureted. 'While the gas will be ready for use without being thus carbureted, I prefer to so carburet it, as this in creases its combustible properties and renders it better for heating purposes. It passes from the carbureting compartment through a suitable conduit R to a gasometer or other receptacle S, whence it is drawn oif for use.

It is also useful for illuminating purposes.

I will. now refer to the means of supplying oil to the tank K. A. large oil-tank X is buried beneath the surface of the ground to insure safety, and contains hydrocarbon oil. The oil in this tank is forced into the tank K, either directly through a pipe Y or through said pipe and an intermediate receptacle Z, elevated above the tank K. The oil is forced through the pipe'Y by means of the pressure of the air in the compressed-air tank, which communicates with the tank X through a pipe A. Thus it will be understood that the air under high pressure is conducted to the tank X above the surface of the oil therein,

and by its pressure displaces the oil and forces I pump, a compressed-air tank connected with I it up the pipe Y in quantities regulated by a suitable cut-off Y. More or less air may commingle With the oil in its passage through the pipe Y; but this is unobjectionable, and simply renders asmaller supply of air through the pipe P necessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for manufacturing carbureted-hydrogen gas, the combination, with a furnace, steam-pipes, and a retort containing a refractory material, the said pipes and retort being in and over the fire-box proper, and one end of the pipes connecting with a steam-supply and the other discharging into said retort, of a chamber divided into air-carbureting and gas-carburetin g compartments, pipes connecting said compartments respectively with the retort, a compressed-air tank, an oil-tank connected therewithand With the air- ,carbureting chamber, the compressed air acting to deliver the oil from the oil-tank to the air-carbureting chamber, a pipe connecting the air-tank With said carbureting-tank, and a gas-exit pipe for the gas-carbureting compartment.

2. An apparatus for generating carb uretedhydrogen gas, consisting of a furnace, steampipes, and a retort containing refractory material, the pipes and retort being in and over the fire-box, a steam-generator connected to one end of the pipes and the other end connected with the retort, an oil-chamber divided into air-carbureting and gas-carb ureting compartments, a pipe leading from one of said compartments into the retort, and from the retort into the other of said compartments,- an exit-pipe leading from the latter, an airthe pump and with the air-carbureting compartment, a buried oil-tank connected with the air-tank, and an intermediate elevated oil-tank connected With the buried tank and With the air-carbureting compartment.

3. In an apparatus for generating carbureted-hydrogen gas, the combination, with a furnace, steam-pipes Within the fire-box thereof, a retort connected With one of said pipes and located above the said fire-box and containing refractory material, and a steam-generator connected With the other end of said pipes, of a chamber divided by a perforated partition into air and gas carbureting compartments, an air-supply for the former compartment, a pipe leading from the said compartment to the retort, a pipe leading from the retort to the gas-carbureting compartment, and an exit-pipe leading from the latter compartment.

4:. In an apparatus. for generating carbureted-hydrogen gas, a chamber divided by a perforated partition into two compartments, a pure-air pipe connected to one of the compartments below the surface of the oil-supply contained therein, a carbureted-air pipe leading from said compartment, an oil-supply pipe discharging into said compartment, a gas-pipe discharging into the other compartment below the surface of said oil-supply and the gasdischarge pipe, and a retort connected with the carbureted-air pipe and the gas-pipe.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JAMES E. MENDENHALL.

Witnesses:

W. S. BLAZER, J. E. BERG. 

